Roger Gray: Port of Auckland CEO on whether New Zealand suffers from a culture of saying no

The Port of Auckland's CEO says a 'no' culture has permeated New Zealand. 

Roger Gray says a cruise ship representative he spoke to in the US labelled our country 'No Zealand'.

Gray says they claimed excessive regulation made things too difficult for them.

He says he doesn't think it's the case in Australia.

"I think Australians are a bit more optimistic and go - yeah, let's have a crack. We're a bit more sit back and a bit more conservative." 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, the Ports of Auckland boss Roger Gray has called

(00:02):
out the key we know culture. He's given a speech
in Auckland saying we're apparently referred to as no Zealand
when overseas, there's plenty of business to be done in
the country. We just need to start saying yes to it.
So let's talk to him. Hi, Roger, Heather, how were
these people you've been speaking to who called us no Zealand?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Well that was about nine months ago. I was in
Miami talking to the cruise lines to try and understand
why they were dropping off their bookings, and the feedback
across the whole lot of the four cruise lines I
went to was they felt that New Zealand was just
simply too hard to deal with because people were so
negative about things.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
They're onto something. Ah.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Well, what I think is interesting is that's where we
were and that was their perception. But the cool thing
is now I think there's a real change going on
amongst people. There's a real starting to be a positivity
amongst a lot of people. And you know, I think
the Bleddersone Northwarf is example if you can just get
on and do stuff. We've created two hundred and fifty
new jobs for Aucklanders and that wolf will be finished

(01:06):
by the end of next year.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
Yeah, I think you're onto something. I think that I
think it is changing. I hate to always, you know,
take everything back to politics, but I think it is
in part because we have some courageous political leaders who
are prepared to just kind of go against the flow,
like Wayne Brown for example. The guys and government at
the moment, would you put it down to.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
That, I think that's right. People are seeing that occasionally
you need someone to specify a vision and simply make
the hard call. And I think the mayor is a
great example of someone who just gets on, articulates what
he wants and then just gets it done. And business
needs to follow that example.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
But what about the rest of us. I mean, as
you say business needs to follow that example, what about
the rest of us? The unions who say no, the
locals who say no to gold mines, the rest of
us who just constantly don't want to say yes to things.
How do we change our attitude?

Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah? Look, I think there's no doubt that people have
been doing it tough for the last couple of years,
Absolutely no doubt. But what I've got is great trust
in New Zealanders towards the fact that we are at
heart a logical, smart community. I think the economy is
actually better than people are actually saying. Most people are conservative,

(02:18):
they don't want to jinx the return. But you know,
we're seeing we unloaded eight thousand cars in the last
five days. Three thousand more arrive later this week. We've
had records container volume for the highest for nine years.
Last month. The economy has turned. I think everybody feels it,
but what they're seeing is they don't want to jinx it.

(02:38):
So yeah, maybe I think.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
Don't you think though, this is actually part of our culture.
I think that we have a certain level of complacency
because life is actually pretty good in New Zealand most
of the time. So we're just pretty relaxed about things,
and therefore we say, no, what do you think?

Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, I do think there's a little bit of that.
I think there's also a natural conservativeness New Zealanders. And
you know, if I was asked what's the difference between
Australia and New Zealand, I'd say, well, let's take a
leaf out of their optimism book. I think Australians are
a bit more optimistic. Yeah, let's have a crack. We're
a bit more sit back and more conservative.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
Now, Roger, I thought, geez, I read this on the
paper this morning. I thought, Roger, you're Australian and you're
saying this about the Kiwis. Do you know what? Is
everyone going to give you a hard time for this?

Speaker 2 (03:26):
Now? I'm sure they will, Heather, but you know I
am in New Zealand. Now. I didn't do my citizenship,
so I've signed up. I'm a full fledged Kiwi now.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Okay, Well, beast of luck with that, Roger. Roger Gray,
Chief Executive Ports of Auckland.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to
news talks the'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio